BROOKLINE, Mass. — Phil Mickelson’s U.S. Open ended prematurely on Friday as he missed the 36-hole cut following a second consecutive day of struggles at The Country Club.
Mickelson, who turned 52 on Thursday, shot a 3-over-par 73 in Friday’s second round following the 8-over-par 78 he posted the day before and finished 11-over for the tournament, miles south of the cutline.
His week began with an awkward, uncomfortable 25-minute pre-tournament press conference on Monday (at which he was grilled like a fugitive coming out of hiding for his involvement with the Greg Norman-led LIV Golf series) and it ended with him leaving the course in a courtesy car shortly before 2 p.m. Friday.
It was the first time Mickelson, who’s become a polarizing figure in the sport since joining the Saudi-backed tour, has played a tournament in the U.S. since January, when he played at Torrey Pines.
Mickelson and 16 other players were suspended by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan last week for their participation on the LIV tour.
“I enjoyed getting back out there,’’ Mickelson told The Post and two other reporters before he got into his far and left the premises.
Phil Mickelson watches his shot from the sixth tee during the second round of the US Open on Friday, June 17, 2022.Getty ImagesAsked what he was most disappointed in, Mickelson said, “My play. I’m struggling with the putter, last week (at the London LIV event) and this week. The U.S. Open is the ultimate test and you don’t really know where your game is until you get tested. I thought I was a little bit closer than I was, but I really struggled putting.
“I thought I was more prepared than I was.’’
Mickelson’s next tournament will be at LIV Golf’s second tournament, June 30 through July 2 at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Ore. He’ll play the British Open after that and then he’ll be in the New York Metropolitan area to play the LIV event at Trump National Bedminster July 29-31.
Mickelson was making his seventh attempt at completing the coveted career Grand Slam since winning the 2013 British Open, with a U.S. Open trophy the only one that’s eluded him despite the record six runner-up finishes (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013).
This was his 31st U.S. Open and only the fifth time he’s failed to make the cut and play the weekend.
This week was the first major championship Mickelson has played since the 2021 British Open. While in his personal exile of four months after controversial comments he made about the PGA Tour and the Saudis were published, he skipped this year’s Masters and PGA Championship.
“I’m pretty motivated to get back to work,’’ Mickelson said. “I feel I’m certainly playing better than I’m scoring and I’ll look forward to working on it.’’
